Bedbug Control
There is a stigma attached to those who have a bedbug infestation that they are somehow dirty and unhygienic but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Bedbugs are after one thing…. your blood, and your level of cleanliness has no bearing on them being there. Bedbugs are tough to control and require a comprehensive program from both the homeowner and the technician. Upon agreeing to a treatment plan your technician will present you with a checklist of requirements for you to carry out before the treatment. Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in a failed treatment. I spent the first few years of my pest control career dealing exclusively with bedbugs so i know them pretty well. Below are some of the techniques we use to eradicate bedbugs.
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Vacuum
One of the first steps we take is to vacuum up any live bedbugs and husks using a hepa filter vac filled with silica gel powder to kill the bugs as they are sucked through. Cleaning all the areas, cracks and crevices of the infested area results in a much easier, more successful treatment
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Dust The Voids
Bedbugs really do like to hide in the darkest corners hence their flattened bodies. One of the requirements before treatment is that all the face-plates are removed so that the technician can inject silica dust into the void. To us the dust feels talk like but to a bedbug it is like shards of glass tearing open their protective exoskeleton and causing them to dehydrate and perish.
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Bedbug Encasements
A mattress is a significant investment you make in your home and sometimes its just not feasible to dispose of an infested one so after the initial treatment we recommend putting bedbug encasement on both the mattress and the box-spring to prevent ingress and egress of the bedbugs to the bed. During the follow up treatments it makes it easier to spot bedbugs due to the smooth surface of the material. These encasements should never be removed to wash them. If they tear then they should be replaced. Duct tape is not a reliable repair… trust me…
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Chemical or Heat?
There are two main routes to the successful treatment of bedbugs. the first, chemically, is the most cost effective but takes longer whilst the other, heat, is much more expensive but is usually effective within one treatment. The preparation for a chemical treatment is labor intensive and leaves you without books, DVDs and ornaments for 10 days as they have to be sealed in bags with a chemical vapor and left for the 10 days. Heat treatment does not require as much preparation but certain precautions have to be taken for this treatment. Your technician will explain the pros and cons of both treatments.